You throw the ball. You catch the ball. You hit the ball…Of course, baseball fans know that this line from Bull Durham is far from true, part of the humor of the movie and a huge part of the fun of the game. This blog is a space to talk about baseball, being a baseball fan, all of those things that make the game fun and the Angels, because they make baseball fun for me.

Smart Phones, Baseball & the Happiest Place on
Earth

Sunday was such a gorgeous day out here in Southern California that it just begged to be enjoyed outside. So, Blithescribe, it’s clear and unseasonably warm. It’s been rainy and cold for the last few weekends. What are you going to do now? I’m going to Disneyland! Seriously, that’s what we do a fair bit. If you’re local and you love the mouse, you maintain an annual pass. It’s sadly only a little more expensive than a normal ticket anyway and gives you a truly locals’ indulgence, the ability to go grab a bite to eat and run around the park for a few hours say Friday after work, or on a Sunday afternoon. Any time you want and, for seven months a year with a smaller mostly locals crowd, at that. Not this Sunday. As we found out when we arrived, Disneyland was hosting the Junior Nationals Cheerleading Competition but we decided to tough it out anyway.

Waiting in longer than anticipated lines is the perfect opportunity for the baseball addict to check up on the game. Go go Gadget, smart phone. I hear a lot of baseball fans say that MLBN changed their life for the better but for me, even more so than MLBN, it’s web access from smart phones. Seth and I “watched” the Angels/D-Backs game, just the MLB.com play by play because the Gameday function shreds batteries, in between chatting and goofing around, of course. This is nothing special. We’ve all resorted to watching the game on the phone any number of times. What was new, to me at least, was the sheer number of other people doing the same thing. Now, my test group was a little skewed. The Lakers were playing a big game that afternoon but, even so, everywhere we looked as the lines twisted and folded over themselves, someone, often a couple or group of someones was checking out basketball or baseball on their phone. When we chatted with other people in line, we ran into a significant number of folks doing the same thing we were, though the teams of choice were all over the map.

What do you know? Technology helps the baseball addict leave the house – at least, that’s what one lady in line said of her husband. Seriously though, there are 162 games, after all. We have to work. We have social commitments. Things need to done around the house. We’re going to leave the house and often quite happily. It’s nice that technology has found ways to let the game come with us sometimes. Of course, as far as technology for the baseball fan has come, there has yet to be an invention that can replace fortunate timing 100% of the time. For example, the baby shower for my husband’s cousin on the Saturday of the Angels home opening weekend? I did my own little home plate celebration – without injury! – when I realized it will be over in plenty of time to catch first pitch. Because you can’t ditch one time only family events for baseball – yeah, um, I’ll be there for the next kid’s shower? – and you can only check a cell phone discretely so many times during a party.

As for the game? Well, it was a lot better than today’s strange Keystone Cops on both sides at times 14-13 loss to the Cubs, I can tell you that – I used the phone for highlit…er…updates for this one too. Work and all that. Jered Weaver pitched a decent three innings. Rich Thompson and Jason Bulger, both competing for bullpen spots did very well. And Francisco Rodriguez came in to close in the 9th and finished the game by delivering three outs in five pitches. Niiiice! Almost everyone was hitting. The Angels stole bases, made a couple of great plays in the outfield and more double plays in the infield. It was Angels baseball again. Like I said, better than today’s game of which the best I can say is at least Dan Haren pitched three solid, scoreless innings and everyone was hitting, including bombs for Mark Trumbo and Brandon Wood. Yes, Brandon Wood. Keep it up, kid!

14 Comments

Disneyland? Wow, I’m jealous. Every year, I use opening Day as Cubs Day. BBQ etc. This year the family is coming over and my wife and I are having cake (with a Cubs logo). So, I use baseball as a family day.

I think I am the only person in America without a smart phone. I almost bought one in December, but I refuse to pay the $30 data package. I guess I’m cheap! Also, I wish I could go to Disney whenever I wanted. We took the kids last spring to Orlando and had a blast!

Mark – Your Opening Day festivities sound fantastic! You should post pictures of the cake on your blog. Fortunately, the shower is the Saturday after our home Opening Day. My husband and I are actually going to Opening Day this year, the first time it’s worked out so that we could.
Ron – I doubt you’re the only one. It’s definitely the kind of thing you don’t “need” until you have it. I need it for work, but the personal benefits are a nice perk and while I could manage, I would be annoyed to live without it now. I have never been to Disney World and that sounds like a great time too, lots of fun for the family.
KristenThis is a very simple game…

It’s nice to see another girl who’s just as obsessed with baseball. It’s a great sport but my boyfriend doesn’t quite share the enthusiasm. More of a football fan unfortunately. I can’t wait for opening day and the chance to go to minor league games (it’s the best thing we have in Iowa). I bought mlb.tv though and I’ve been watching every spring training game like my life hangs on it.
Good luck to the Angels this year!

As much as I love baseball, sometimes I think that smartphones make it almost TOO easy. I don’t need to know the score every minute, but with technology, I feel like I do. Kind of a double-edged sword.
Catherinehttp://chisoxblog.mlblogs.com/

Alissa – Thanks for dropping by my blog. It’s always nice to “meet” another baseball lovin’ lady. Part of what’s been so much fun about reading MLBlogs is finding out just how many of us there are out there. Keep working on your guy. You never know, my husband came over to baseball from the football side of things. It’s possible, LOL, and maybe you’ll wind up liking football too, if you don’t already.
Catherine – Too much baseball?! Oh come now…totally kidding of course. And you do raise a good point. We all need to find balance and technology sometimes helps that but sometimes makes it impossible.
Kristenhttp://blithescribe.mlblogs.com/

I love the MLB app. I like watching the video recaps of the games. You can watch a whole game in 10 min.

I’ve never been to Disneyland, but I’ve been to Disney World about 20 times over the last 40 years and I’m taking the family there again in a couple weeks. I would love to be close enough to go whenever we wanted.

Oh… Brandon Wood? That’s still happening? I thought it was do or die LAST year. I think he and Alex Gordon should start their own support group. Maybe Todd Van Poppel can anchor it. Also, I admit, one of the happiest days of my life was the day I met my Droid…. life (and baseball) have never been so sweet.
–Jeffhttp://redstatebluestate.mlblogs.com/http://mtrredstatebluestate.com

When I first got my iPhone I figured I’d never use all the apps and just email/text from it. Was I wrong. I adore my MLB app and feel the freedom now to go anywhere and still not miss a pitch! I got the battery charger for my car so I’m never losing juice!

Before I got my Droid, I used to think all I needed a cell phone for was to make and receive calls. I was wrong. What did I ever do without it? ;-) Seriously, though, it is nice to be able to keep up with things when you’re stuck in a line/waiting through kids’ practices/etc.

Russel – Yeah, the video recaps are very helpful…sometimes even when you’ve already seen the game and are trying to remember a specific detail when you go to post about it, LOL. I’ve never been to Disney World but hear it’s like Disneyland squared and then squared again. Have a great time with the family!
Jeff – Judging from Scioscia’s comments it’s happening whether we want it to or no, so I’ve adopted the root for him to be better attitude, right up until it starts costing us…and, hey, if he did live up to this potential he shows flashes of from time to time that wouldn’t be a bad thing. We are still allowed to indulge in fantasy is spring training, LOL.
Jane – Yeah, I was the same way. I thought the internet function was nice and all when I bought the blackberry but wondered how often I would really use it. Ha ha ha on me.
Sue – Yeah, it’s definitely one of those things you don’t need until you finally have one and then oh boy do you need it.
KristenThis is a very simple game…

Disneyland and baseball together….and sunshine….Life of Riley! I have yet to use the app. I’m a bit wary of getting sucked into a game and having one of my students catch me and read me the riot act for having my phone in class.

Mike – Balance is definitely key, wherever you choose to draw the line.
Luse – Yeah, it was a good weekend. You definitely don’t want to give a student reason to lecture the teacher, though it might be funny. When I’m at work, I like the play by play function where every at bat, etc. is written in a short narrative. I can come in at like the 9th inning, read through the game and get a good sense of it in about 10 minutes at lunch or on a break or sometime when it’s appropriate. Thanks!
KristenThis is a very simple game…

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